Tech & Accessories to Get You Going this New Year

By Benjamin Yong, 26 Jan, 2018

Four trendy items to increase your productivity

Brush Hero

When getting ready to go wash a vehicle, outdoor equipment or anything else easily dirtied, it’s sometimes more work to round up all the various rags and sponges needed to complete the task. What if you could just reach for one tool to rule them all?

Introducing Brush Hero, a rotating brush that screws onto any standard garden hose. Once water is turned on, the pressure powers the brush head without the use of electricity. There are no fins, blades, gears or similar delicate mechanical parts prone to corrosion and breakage. The unit has been tested successfully in safely cleaning bicycles, lawnmowers, patio furniture, vegetables and, surprisingly, pets (i.e. muddy dogs after a rainy walk). Designed to spin slowly and steadily for gentle yet effective performance, it is particularly handy for reaching hard-to-get areas like between wheel spokes.

To activate, simply flick the variable toggle switch to the on position. In the fully open setting, the amount of water dispensed is approximately half of a normal free-flowing hose. Brush Hero continues to rotate when pressed up against a surface and even underwater. Prices start at around $42 for the starter set including both a soft and stiff head. In addition, a long list of accessories are available including an extension wand, built-in soap dispenser, marine brush kit, and indoor shower faucet adapter.

NuGuard Snap-On MacBook Cover

It’s hard to be productive when you’re hung up about scratches to a shiny (expensive) laptop. The NuGuard series of snap-on two-piece cases, from NewerTech, protects various MacBook models featuring cooling vent slots, rubberized feet, and soft-touch construction. There are a total of 11 colours and styles to choose from and perfect fitment is guaranteed.

Roots Go Pack Tribe 15in

For the holiday season, Canadian clothing retailer Roots kicked off Northern Light, a special multimedia holiday gift guide centered around the online age. A standout from the catalogue is the Go Pack Tribe 15in, handcrafted in Canada and made from genuine exclusive Vintage Tribe leather rubbed to give a distinct vintage appearance. Measuring 12” (length) by 17.5” (height) by 4.25” (depth), the minimalist backpack has a padded slip pocket with leather snap tab closure inside the main zipped compartment good for laptops up to 15 inches. Open up the front zipper pocket to reveal individual compartments where you can stash cords, chargers, keys or pens.

NewerTech Snuglet

Notebooks using the ingenious Apple MagSafe 2 power connector benefit from not being yanked off desks and tables when, say, someone trips over the cable. However by the same token, users might realize their computer isn’t charging because of an inadvertent movement that dislodged the plug. That’s where the NewerTech’s Snuglet comes in. Nestling “snugly” inside the MagSafe 2 connector, the ring acts as a magnetic carrier providing a slightly more solid fit helping to prevent accidental unplugging. Machined to aerospace-tolerance levels of less than half the diameter of a human hair, install and removal is simple and does not hinder normal operation.